The elastic band
This past week I have had a new addition fitted to my bike. It is small and barely noticeable, but seven different people have asked me what the story is with the elastic band on my bars, so here it is :
Lately, I have been doing quite a bit of travelling, staying overnight at least two nights per week in different parts of Ireland away from home and family. It is great to experience cycling along some of the most scenic and cycling friendly roads in the World and staying in fabulous locations as I help hotels understand the needs and how to cater for cyclists of all abilities. But with three young ladies waiting at home there is another side to it too.
As I cycle along, whenever I see a beautiful or unusual view I stop to take a picture. Most of these pictures include my bike as a prop in order to show how accessible these places are for cyclists and how cycling is the best way to explore any scenic area, especially the Wild Atlantic Way.
Some of these pictures I then post online to twitter, instagram, Facebook or on this blog. In the evenings, sometimes my family at home look at the pictures to see where I was that day.
Last weekend when I got home, they were busy at work doing their favourite hobby, making all sorts of creations out of Loom Bands. Laura, who is nine, was busy making a triple single bracelet when she quickly asked me to pick two colours, which I did. She then flicked them around her fingers and stood up and asked ‘where’s your bike?’
I brought her out to the bike and she fitted the mini creation around the drops on my bars before saying ‘Now, when you are away you can think about us as much as we are thinking about you, and when we look at a photo and see this band on your bike we will know that you are thinking about us too’
I gave her and her little sister a great big hug.
So now, whenever anyone sees a bike in a picture with an elastic band around the handlebars know that just like most small, apparently insignificant things in life, behind it lies a story.
Barry
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